Twice as Good. Alison Roberts

without a trace of amusement. ‘She was my best friend, would you believe?’

      Oliver didn’t look amused either. ‘We’re not all like that, Jan. You’ll find the right person one of these days.’

      ‘That’s the problem, Oliver,’ Janet said sadly. She kept her gaze on the ECG strip which Oliver appeared to have forgotten he was holding. ‘I thought I had found the right person. I was so sure of it. Now I’ll never be able to trust my own judgment again.’ She managed another smile. ‘Anyway, I’m so pleased about you and Sophie. That’s great news.’

      ‘Thanks. We’re delighted. At least, I’m delighted and I’m sure Sophie will be, too, when she stops throwing up all the time.’ Oliver finally spread the trace out beside the one already on his desk. ‘That’s good.’ He nodded seconds later. ‘No change at all. Tell her to come back in as soon as she’s dressed.’

      ‘You’ve probably got time for a coffee,’ Janet told him dryly. ‘Or you could have a quick look at a wee girl in the waiting room. She’s a casual, in town visiting her grandmother, but she’s been here before to see Josh. She’s running a fever and is anorexic. She’s also got a cardiac history of some kind.’

      ‘OK. Put her in the side room and I’ll be there in a minute. I hope we don’t get too many casuals today.’

      ‘What did the agency say in the end?’

      ‘They’ll send someone else. When or if they can find someone. There’s a heavy demand for locums at present. Apparently we’re in the middle of conference season.’

      Luckily, Miss Little had decided to dress herself again without waiting for clearance. Janet despatched her towards Oliver’s room. There was an unusual silence in the waiting area as she headed back to the front office. All conversation had stopped. Sandy was staring over the counter, looking slightly pale. Janet’s nose provided the first clue to the new development to the day. Young Katy Prendergast had vomited, dousing both the carpet and the contents of the toy basket. Eighteen-month-old Toby Dawson was openly fascinated. Katy’s mother was appalled.

      ‘Oh, I’m so sorry! Can I find something to clean up with?’

      ‘I’ll do that,’ Janet told her. ‘Don’t worry. These things happen.’ She nudged Sandy. ‘Take Katy and her mum down to the side room. Get one of the cardboard containers out of my dressings cupboard in case Katy feels sick again.’

      Joshua Young’s mother emerged from Sophie Bennett’s room. Joshua was still howling and his mother looked weary. Her expression changed and her nose wrinkled with distaste as she moved towards the counter. Sophie followed her patient out. Her eyes widened in dismay as she neared the waiting room, then she clapped her hand over her mouth and nose and ran for the toilet, slamming the door hurriedly shut behind her.

      Janet donned gloves and quickly gathered a bucket of hot water and disinfectant, tucking a supply of floor cloths under her arm. Toby’s mother was trying to keep the active toddler away from the toy basket.

      ‘Take him into the treatment room, Margaret,’ Janet suggested. ‘I won’t be long. Sorry to have kept you waiting.’

      ‘No problem.’ Toby’s mother smiled. ‘You look like you’re having a bad morning.’

      Janet nodded wearily. There were still three people left in the waiting room after Margaret and Toby left. One was waiting to see Sophie who had still not emerged from the toilet. May Little was in Oliver’s room and Katy was next in line for his attention. The elderly Mr Beaumont and his wife would have to wait a while longer for their appointment to see Dr Spencer.

      Sandy Smith looked ready to cry. ‘I wish Toni was here,’ she told Janet mournfully. ‘I don’t think I’m ready to cope with this job on my own. I’m only a receptionist, not a practice manager.’

      ‘You’re not on your own,’ Janet told her. ‘I’m here. And this is as bad as it gets around here. Honestly! If you can cope with this, you can cope with anything.’

      Sandy sniffed dubiously and Janet patted her arm. ‘Open the windows in here for a while. As soon as I’ve finished with wee Toby I’ll come back and look after the desk and you can have half an hour for lunch. Take a walk by the river and get some sunshine and fresh air.’

      Sandy brightened. ‘I could go down to the shops. Outboard’s getting low on cat food and kitty litter.’

      Janet eyed the still firmly closed door of the toilet. ‘Get some water crackers as well. They’re supposed to be good for morning sickness.’

      Not that there was much of the morning left. Toby and his mother had been waiting for over an hour for their appointment.

      ‘I’m so sorry,’ Janet apologised again. ‘It’s been chaos this morning. I don’t think we had any idea how disruptive it was going to be, having both Josh and Toni away at the same time. And our locum didn’t show up.’

      ‘I’m not bothered,’ Margaret assured her. ‘It’s not often I get the chance to sit and read magazines. Where did Josh and Toni go for their honeymoon?’

      ‘They’re cruising the Caribbean,’ Janet said with mock bitterness. ‘If they send a postcard of some tropical paradise with ‘‘wish you were here’’ scribbled on the back, it will definitely be the last straw.’

      Both women laughed, and Toby beamed at the sound. Janet held out her hand.

      ‘Come and stand by the giraffe, sweetheart. Let’s see how tall you’ve got.’

      She recorded the measurement on Toby’s file. ‘He’s shot up,’ she told Margaret. ‘That’s a huge increase since his fifteen-month check.’

      ‘Goodness knows where he’s getting the energy to grow from. I can’t get him to eat a thing.’

      ‘Tell me about it,’ Janet said with a grin. ‘The fight I had this morning, trying to get my boys to eat breakfast!’

      ‘You mean they haven’t grown out of it yet?’

      ‘It gets worse when they start watching TV,’ Janet warned. ‘All the ads for the new high-sugar, high-fat, junk cereal they keep coming up with. It’s a constant battle.’

      ‘So what do you give the twins for breakfast?’

      ‘Porridge,’ Janet said defensively. ‘It was good enough for me when I was growing up and I wasn’t even allowed brown sugar and milk on it.’ She lifted Toby onto the scales.

      ‘Toby likes porridge.’ Margaret sighed. ‘It’s the meat and vegetables I can’t get into him.’

      ‘You’re obviously doing quite well enough.’ Janet steadied the toddler before checking the reading. ‘He’s right up the charts for both weight and height.’ She lifted Toby onto the bed and tickled a smile out of her small patient. ‘Do you like porridge, then, Toby?’

      Toby nodded happily.

      ‘I wish my boys did. They say it’s got too many toenails in it.’

      Toby looked nonplussed. So did Margaret. ‘Toe-nails?’

      ‘They’re just the oat husks,’ Janet explained. ‘I make the real stuff that you have to soak overnight. It’s healthier, not to mention a lot cheaper.’ She unbuttoned the fastening on the shoulder of Toby’s bright blue jersey. ‘We’ll take this off, shall we, darling? Dr Sophie is going to come and listen to your chest in a minute and look in your ears and down your throat. Do you think she’ll be able to see the porridge you had for breakfast?’

      Toby nodded gleefully. He stuck his arms up helpfully as Janet pulled the sleeves of his jersey clear. She excused herself to fetch Sophie but was waylaid by Sandy, who spoke in a whisper.

      ‘That funny little man that looks like a garden gnome just came in.’

      ‘Mr Collins?’